Every now and then, we meet a quirky yet talented artist whose works find their niche in the hearts of people who appreciate a certain slice-of-life in their artworks. Let's take a look at the works of someone who makes use of a medium very unique to the world of art. These are the works of Haroshi, the skateboarding sculptor from the heart of Tokyo. His meticulously carved creations are colorfully created by the process of stacking old skateboard decks together to create a carvable mass, which he then contours to mimic his original subject's look.






Haroshi's pop art sculptures have melted the hearts of younger generations in Japan, simply because he was able to connect with their sense of playfulness and joviality. Many of his creations embody subjects that are cartoonish or game-like, often resembling characters that have a familiar animated appearance to the most beloved ones seen by kids in the city.








His portfolio of works also extends to deeper subjects of influence, such as anatomies in gesture. Some certain works can be considered provocative or rebellious in nature, due to the subject matter they concern, but to most, he is simply a youthful artisan who has found his own originality in the craft of wood carving. Not many think of using such a curious medium, but he certainly seems to have a knack for popular culture and its desires.



Sculptures by Japanese Artist Haroshi

It's not a new concept to use art for the objective of sending a clear-cut message to society. Some artists make use of their craft to challenge stereotypical beliefs and behaviors about politics, age and culture. Rosanna Li Wei Han exhibits her public sculptures at the cityscapes of Hong Kong to showcase her own belief of challenging the views towards physical idealism in gender roles. As a retired professor of design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Li has years of experience dealing with the ability of art to capture people's attention. Her charming, yet simplistic sculptures defy the sexist concepts of "good bodily proportions" or anatomical "musts" often desired by society due to popularization in mainstream media.



Li's subjects are almost always human figures, both men and women whose phsyique tends to be more large-framed and hefty according to some observers. Some of her artwork series entitled “Men and Women ‧ This and That”, have prodded at society's grueling  definitions of how a human body should appear as. Distinctly though, she has also formed her pieces in such a way that they wouldn't appear offensive or strikingly apparent to anyone who either does or does not fit the proportions knelt on by those norms.







Her most famous sculpture is probably the permanent artwork situated over at Yau Tong Station, entitled People Passing By, People Lazing By. Her curriculum vitae showed us that she has also had an extensive educational journey throughout different countries of the world, including the Cheltenham & Gloucester College and the University of London in the UK, Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the Northcote College of Education.

Sculptures by Rosanna Li Wei Han, Photography by the artist's publications